Consumer issues questionable auto dealership practices—major houston area car dealer
12/29-Took delivery of vehicle with signed contract. Provided ALL requested documentation at that time, i.E. Proof of residence, original paystubs, utility bill, house payment voucher, etc. Contract states that the first payment is due on the 12th of February. Gave downpayment of $1500. Was told that vehicle was financed and everything was done and that I needed to add the vehicle to my car insurance right away.
Not so. A couple of days later received call stating that they had a better deal with a lower payment and that I needed to come back and sign new papers for the lower payment, so I did.
The payment was lower but it was lower because the finance company would not do an extended warranty. I figured that was okay because the vehicle was a 2007 and still under factory warranty. So I went with it and was told all was done. Two weeks go by and I hear nothing from the dealership or the finance company. I finally looked up the finance company on the internet and called them. They said they do not know who I am and have no record of me. I call the dealer and ask them what is going on and inform them of what the finance company told me. Come to find out my paperwork was still at the dealership and had not been sent to them. It supposedly is sent to the finance company a day or two later.
I receive a call from the finance company around February 1st wanting to verify my information and they tell me everything is fine and it is a done deal. I remind them that the first payment on the car is due on the 12th of February and am told no problem I can send it overnight or make it at the dealership.
On February 4th I call the finance company back to get the phone number for the accounts department to set-up a direct deduction for the payments and am told that my deal got sent back to the dealer and to call them. I call the dealership and the dealership tells me that the finance company had an issue with verifying part of my past employment which made no sense because they had all of the phone numbers. I even called my prior payroll office and they tell me that no one EVER called, so to make sure everything is legit I get a letter on letterhead from my old job (major employer) and fax it over to the finance company and the dealership so they can call the payroll office directly to confirm what the employment verification letter states. I talk to the finance company again on February 8th and they tell me everything is fine and give me my account number for the loan.
On that same day I ask what do I do about the first payment and they tell me to make it at the dealership on or before the 12th of February. On Monday, February 11th, I went to the dealership and wrote a check for the first car payment. I wrote directly on the check that it was the first payment for the car and the dealership gave me a receipt stating the same thing. The dealership told me we were done.
I then called the finance company and told them I made the payment, they said it was done and told me that I would receive my statement for the next payment due in March.
On February 16th, I received a call from the dealership telling me that they wanted more information from me. Now mind youI have had the car since 12/29, made a downpayment of $1500 and that check has long cleared and subsequently made the first car note payment as well.
NOW I am being ask for more information by the dealership. The check for the first car payment has already cleared as well. Every time I speak with the dealership the story changes. The finance company says one thing and then the dealership calls me to say something else.
Why would a car dealership company take a car payment if there is no financing in place? No possibility of misunderstanding it was NOT additional downpayment moneythe check is clearly annotated first car payment and their receipt says the same thing.
I have had the car for fifty-nine days under the impression, from what the finance company stated, from what the dealership started, by the dealership's action and the finance company directing me to give them the first months payment that the deal was done.
Now I find that it most probably is not. I called the finance manager after speaking to the salesman on Saturday, February 16th and asked him what was going onhes the finance manager, he should know. Not surprisedtold me their computers were down and that he could not bring up my records. I asked about just bringing the car back and he tells me they will not charge me any usage fees. I called the salesman back and told him that I was bringing the car back and he goes from being so nice to telling me that if I bring the car back they will charge me $25 a day use feethe car would be a rental/loaner.
BIG QUESTION: If the car is now a rental/loaner, why did the dealership accept and deposit a check from me that was marked CLEARLY marked on the FRONT OF IT first car payment on deal and give me a receipt that states the same thing?
Talk about some questionable business practices, misrepresentation, and total nonsense.
I strongly suggest that if you are thinking about getting a vehicle from these people DO NOT DO IT! Also, they belong to the same family as BILL HEARD CHEVROLET. Same practices.
If anyone else has had this same or a similar experience, please contact me. If there is a class action lawsuit going on regarding these people, please let me know.
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